Leffingwell opts for Ohio University

Warren QB will red shirt for his freshman season

April 25, 2013

VINCENT - Dylan Leffingwell is hoping that he gets an opportunity to go "bowling" at Ohio University.

The Warren senior signed a National Letter of Intent on the Warrior campus Wednesday to continue his education and play football at OU, which has competed in four straight football bowl games (Independence, Famous Idaho Potato, New Orleans and Little Caesars Pizza).

"My dad asked me once that if I wasn't going to play football in college, where would I go?" said Leffingwell, who will be a preferred walk on and red shirt his freshman season at OU. "And, I said Ohio University.

Article Photos

Photo by Ron JohnstonWarren senior Dylan Leffingwell, center (sitting) signed a National Letter of Intent Wednesday on the Warrior campus to continue his education and play football at Ohio University in Athens. Pictured sitting, left to right, are Warren head football coach Andy Schob, Darci Leffingwell (sister), Dylan Leffingwell, Debbie Leffingwell (mother) and Dan Leffingwell Jr. (father). In the back row, left to right, are Warren athletic director Fred Ruth, Dan Leffingwell Sr. (grandfather) and Sharon Callow (grandmother).

"Now that I'm going to OU and getting an opportunity to play football, I feel so honored. It's the dream of all high school football players to play at the D-I level."

Leffingwell said he also considered attending and playing football at Marietta College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Denison University, Kent State University and Purdue University.

He is planning to major in exercise physiology. At Warren, he owns a 3.62 GPA, and is an Academic All-Ohio honoree.

The Frank Solich-coached Ohio Bobcats are an NCAA Division I school, located in nearby Athens, and a member of the Mid-American Conference. The green and white play its home football games at Peden Stadium.

Leffingwell will become the third Warrior Warrior to compete in football at Ohio. Currently, red shirt sophomore Grant Venham is the Bobcats' starting punter.

"Warren has now had three Division 1 football players in school history," said Warren head football coach Andy Schob. "We have had the privilege on watching two of the three (Leffingwell and Venham) the past several seasons and will now be able to watch them play together at Ohio University. What a great opportunity for them and this entire area."

Brett Riffey, the son of Warren boys' track and field coach Al Riffey, is the third Warrior to compete at the D-I football level. He was a long snapper at Marshall University.

During his prep career on the gridiron at Warren, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Leffingwell passed for a school-best 4,914 yards, including 1,341 yards and 12 touchdowns last fall.

After the 2012 campaign, Leffingwell was an All-Ohio special mention honoree, a first-team All-Southeast District pick, and Southeastern Ohio Athletic League (SEOAL) Player of the Year.

In his junior year, Leffingwell threw for 1,637 yards (133-of-232) and 13 touchdowns. He also rushed for five scores. In a 44-24 win against the Marietta Tigers at Don Drumm Stadium, he passed for 324 yards and four TDs.

After Leffingwell's junior season, he was invited to the U.S. Army National Combine in San Antonio, Texas, where he showcased his quarterback skills on the Field Turf surface at the Alamodome during the week of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Leffingwell can run the 40-yard dash in 4.9 seconds, bench press 300 pounds, squat 405 pounds, and has a vertical leap of 31 inches.

"Dylan has worked extremely hard, makes the right decisions on and off the field, and has displayed character in every aspect of his life," Schob said. "He has put in more weight room, film room, camps, and time than anyone I have coached or been around.

"This is what a coach wishes for someone that displays character and represents himself, team, and community the way he does, what a great reward, he has certainly earned this opportunity."

An all-around athlete at Warren, Leffingwell was a member of the Warrior basketball team that played in an Ohio Division II semifinal game at Value City Arena in Columbus in March.

Currently, he is a thrower on the Warren track and field squad.

In early June, Leffingwell is scheduled to compete for Ohio in the BACF All-Star football Classic at Don Drumm Stadium.

Leffingwell is the son of Dan Jr. and Debbie Leffingwell. He has an older sister Darci.